Pts in the Paint

Fastbreak Pts

Bench Pts

HEMPTSTEAD, N.Y. –Brogan Berry and Christine
Clark combined for 49 points as the Harvard women's basketball
team knocked off Hofstra Thursday night, 73-71, to become the first
team in Ivy League history to record a win in the WNIT. With the
victory, Harvard advances to the tournament's second round and will
now face Temple Saturday, March 17 at 6 p.m. in Philadelphia,
Pa.

The Ivy League entered this year's tournament a combined 0-5 in
the WNIT since 2007 when it first earned an automatic bid. For
Harvard, it marks the team's first victory in three tries at the
tournament and improves the program to 2-8 all-time in the
postseason. The Crimson is also the only program in Ivy League
history to record a win in the NCAA Tournament, and did so in 1998
when it became the only No. 16 seed to upset a No. 1 seed on either
the men's or women's side with a 71-67 victory over Stanford.

Berry dominated the game in the first half, scoring 19 of her 26
points on 7-of-8 shooting while going 4-of-5 from three. She
finished the game shooting 9-of-16 from the field and 5-of-9 from
three, and added five rebounds and four assists. Berry reached
several milestones in the victory, including moving into sole
possession of second place in Harvard history and fourth place in
the Ivy League with 521 career assists. Berry is also now the 27th
leading scorer in Ancient Eight annals with 1,437 points, and is
tied with former teammate Christine Matera '11 for the program
record with 115 appearances.

Clark went 9-of-15 from the floor and 3-of-5 from three for her
23 points, and added seven rebounds. Victoria Lippert
chipped in nine points while Emma Golen led the
efforts on the glass with 10 boards. Elle Hagedorn
grabbed seven rebounds to go with her three assists.

Hofstra (19-12) was led by Shante Evans' 24-point, 16-rebound
double-double. The Pride held a 38-30 edge in points in the paint
and a 20-5 advantage in second-chance points, but shot 36.5 percent
to Harvard's (18-11) 46.8 percent. Candace Bond and Nicole Capurso
added 18 points and 13 points, respectively.

Hofstra scored the game's first points but Berry's first three
and a layup by Clark put the Crimson in front, 5-3. A second Berry
three-pointer made it an 8-3 game and Harvard led 10-5 following a
Golen jumper. Berry continue to have the hot hand early, draining
two more from long range for an 16-9 advantage with 12:05
remaining.

The Pride pulled within 22-18 off a jumper by Marie Malone
before Berry took over again to help Harvard to its first
double-digit lead of the night, 29-19. Back-to-back baskets by
Hagedorn and Berry made it an eight-point game, and Berry followed
a Hofstra basket with an and-one for the 10-point edge. An 8-2 run
by Hofstra momentarily cut the deficit to three, 33-30, but Clark
outscored the Pride 7-2 over the final 2:36 to take a 40-32 lead
into the break.

Berry led all scorers with 19 first-half points, shooting 7-of-8
from the floor and 4-of-5 from three. Clark added 13 points on
5-of-10 shooting as the Crimson hit 57.1 percent (16-28) of its
attempts in the frame. Hofstra held a 22-18 edge on the glass but
shot just 31.6 percent while going 2-of-8 from three.

Harvard opened the second half on a 5-0 run with Miriam Rutzen
draining a three from the corner and Lippert getting an open layup
on a secondary break. Eight straight points by Hofstra in response
pulled the Pride within five, 45-40, but the Crimson came right
back with a 12-4 stretch to move the score to 57-46 with 12:41
remaining. Jumpers by Clark and Golen opened the run and Clark hit
her second three-pointer of the night to make it seven straight
points for Harvard. After a pair of Pride baskets cut the lead to
52-46, Lippert followed a Berry jumper with her first three for the
11-point margin.

The Crimson's lead reached as many as 13 points on a Lippert
jumper, but Hofstra continued to hang in the game with its strong
inside presence. A 9-0 run by the Pride pulled Hofstra to within
four, but yet another three by Berry on the ensuing possession
pushed the score to 66-59. Bond scored on Hofstra's next possession
to make it a five-point game before Clark responded from
behind-the-arc for a 69-61 lead with 4:10 to play.

Harvard was unable to put the game away, however, as the Pride
made one last push and cut the lead to one, 69-68, on a three from
Katelyn Loper. Lippert missed a pair of three-point attempts on
Harvard's next possession but Rutzen came down with the first
rebound and Clark grabbed the second, and laid it in for a 71-68
edge. Berry added a pair of free throws with 0:24 remaining to move
the score to 73-68 before Loper hit a second three for the final
73-71 margin.

Game Notes: Harvard became the first team in
Ivy League history to win a game in the WNIT and improved to 2-8
all-time in the postseason … Harvard is also the only Ivy
League program to ever win a game in the NCAA Tournament, and
became the only No. 16 seed to upset a No. 1 seed on either the
men's or women's side with a 71-67 victory over Stanford on March
14, 1998 … Brogan Berry moved into sole possession of second
place in Harvard history and fourth place in the Ivy League with
521 career assists … Brogan Berry is also now the 27th
leading scorer in Ivy League annals with 1,437 points and is tied
for first in program history with 115 career appearances.